


The Art of Persuading a Self-Sacrificing Supersoldier

by storiesfortravellers



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Concerned!Team, Guilt Trip, Multi, Reckless Behavior
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-19
Updated: 2012-08-19
Packaged: 2017-11-12 11:11:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/490243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesfortravellers/pseuds/storiesfortravellers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt at avengerkink: "So, I've seen a ton of reckless Tony...what about some seriously reckless Steve? Obviously, it'd look a bit different. But I can see him habitually getting himself blown up/hit with unknown weapons/etc. in order to protect his team, because he knows he can survive. The team confronts him on it after he nearly dies one too many times. What would be fantastic would be a line-up of the Avengers who (without consulting each other) come one at a time and really, really chew Steve out for being so blase about his own life. (No actual suicidal tendencies to deal with, please--just Steve being protective of his team."</p><p>A bit on the cracky side.  Also, a surprise pairing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Art of Persuading a Self-Sacrificing Supersoldier

Steve was going to be in recovery for at last four days, but if he hadn't thrown himself in front of the team, he wouldn't have been there at all. 

Everyone comes to visit. They bring magazines and, when he begs, non-medically-approved food.

They also bring guilt trips.

Coulson is first. Just a raised eyebrow and a casual observation: "This is the fifth time that you've almost been killed when the team wasn't sure it was totally necessary.... You know, a leader who truly cares about his team will at least try and survive to lead them another day. Or maybe you don't care that they need you."

Bruce is next. "Man, I don't want to put a lot of pressure on you, but seeing you throw your own safety to the wind like that,it doesn't just scare me. It... makes me angry. And who knows what could happen then?"

Pepper comes and makes a few comments about the deep-seated reasons and self-worth and what it means to be a team, and Steve nods and tries not to fall asleep. He likes Pepper, but he doesn't like this conversation.

Thor and Jane show up, and Jane has prepared a physics diagram for how Steve could have redirected the force of the explosion at considerable less risk to himself. Steve doesn't mention that this is only useful in hindsight, since Steve can't do that level of vector analysis in the field. He does point out that it is very sweet that Jane has drawn each of the Avengers in the diagram in loving detail and added little red hearts around Thor. 

Jane makes a face. "I drew those," Thor explained, to show that even in battle I think of Jane." Steve doesn't know what to say to that.

Fury comes by with a picture of a little boy who narrowly escaped injury after trying some dangerous stunt inspired by his devotion to Captain America, the hero of children everywhere. He tapes the picture to the television so Steve can always see it and leaves. Bastard.

Tony shows up with a piece of red metal that looks a lot like a piece of Iron Man suit. He slams it into the side of Steve's thigh.

"OWWW!" 

"See! Iron Man is better at taking impact than supersoldier flesh," Tony said. "That's just one of the MANY reasons we don't need you to do anything stupid."

"You were all the way across the city! And -"

Tony hits him in the thigh again.

Steve sighs. "Tony. Get out of my hospital room before I literally throw you back into the hallway."

Tony pouts but does what he's told. 

Steve doesn't see why he has to put up with all this crap about what he did. If he had done this in the 40s, they would have pinned a medal on him and told him to go get drunk and get a hooker. Not that he would have done either, but still. It was a lot better than this.

Clint and Natasha show up together. He can see they're pissed, and that they're about to yell at him for the same thing the rest of the team did.

He can also see that they're smiling, calmly, and he knows that this is going to be a Natasha-style op. 

He tells himself to talk as little as possible. He wasn't sure how, but he felt like through some incredibly clever tactics, Steve was going to end up unintentionally promising to change his battle practice. 

But there wasn't any baiting or guilting or trying to probe into the underlying reasons.

Instead, Clint and Natasha kiss.

Right in front of him.

They keep kissing. Natasha's hand goes under Clint's shirt and Steve can see her nails trail soft pink scratches on Clint's belly. Clint's hand rests on Natasha's right hip, until it slowly moves up to her waist, and then, amazing, travels to caress Natasha's breast, hand still outside her uniform but with his thumb clearly rubbing her nipple below.

This... was definitely better than a magazine.

Then they turned toward Steve, their arms still around each other. 

"Steve," Clint said, and for once there was no veneer of snark, "We're seriously considering asking you to join us some time."

"But," Natasha said, "We don't want to be with someone who doesn't try their very fucking hardest to survive."

"So stop fucking up," Clint said, "And let the team protect you as much as you protect the team."

"Or else, we will make you sorely, painfully aware of what you're missing. At every opportunity. Got it?" Natasha finished.

Steve sighed. 

A good soldier stands his ground.

But a good soldier also knows when he's against a superior force.

Steve nodded his surrender.

They both leaned over to kiss him on each cheek.

"When you're better, come see us." 

Steve said, "I will."


End file.
